Community Newsletter: Q&A: MacBook or PC laptop for college?
- 8/22/08 4:21 PM
MacBook or PC laptop for college
by patc477 - 8/12/08 3:52 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
well since you have a limited budget and are familar with the Windows operating system I would recomend a PC based laptop. You can look at the ACER 6920 a 16" widescreen laptop with a generous amount of RAM & Harddisk space + a load of other features selling at $700 - 800 depending if its on sale or not. Also software is cheaper as well as hardware for PC based systems. Hope this helps.
Mac versus Apple
by SusanHMurray - 8/12/08 10:05 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Wendy,
My daughter went through college recently and into her career with a Mac laptop, and she just loved it. I have played with it some, and it seems easy to work with. If I can use it, being used to desktops, then anyone can do this. It seems really easy to work with. When it's time for the next laptop, she is planning to get another Mac.
Proud Mom
Mac vs. PC -- Which Is for You?
by nyteflyer - 8/12/08 10:52 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I just came across an article that really tackles this question with very non-biased answers with facts and things to consider:
http://www.switched.com/2008/08/06/mac-vs-pc/
Hey there, also heading to college and had to deal with this
by rar31 - 8/12/08 11:19 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Simple question yet no simple answer; A Mac or a PC? My price range was less than yours and therefore I chose an HP Pavilion Dv 6707 Notebook. A fairly decent computer well worth the price in my opinion. I really like it. However despite my tendencies to use PC's a decent Macbook can be purchased for around the price range of $1500. Here is the upside for you since you seem iffy about the transition from a PC to a Mac. On newer Intel based Macs, you can run a Windows operating system in "bootcamp" mode. I don't really know much about this, however I can't imagine that it is all that different from running a Virtual Machine, except in this case its an actual partition on the Mac HDD. You would be able to get the best of both worlds this way. So if your willing i say go ahead and get the Mac, especially if there is an incentive for purchasing one.
Good Luck
My Advice
by TechWire - 8/12/08 11:46 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think a Mac may be a good idea for your situation. If you buy a Mac, you get a free 8GB iPod. But, as far as your spending limit goes, the MacBook is $1100, so it may be better to get a Dell Laptop (I would recommend the Studio 15), And put OS X Lepoard on the Studio 15. You can transform your current PC into a Mac to try Mac out, with Fly A Kite OSX, at http://www.flyakiteosx.com/download/
Flyakiteosx is NOT the same as Windows on Mac
by technewsjunkie - 8/12/08 5:14 PM In reply to: My Advice by TechWireIt is not an OS. It is a GUI that runs on Windows. YOu cannot run an official Mac OS in Windows as a virtual machine like you can run Windows on a Mac.
And cheaper is not always better. I see a lot of people saying the main factor is that Windows is Cheap.
They are right about that, it is CHEAP.
MAC vs PC
by RyanatETF - 8/12/08 12:59 PM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
As a recent graduate I can say that likes and dislikes have little to do with answering this question. You need to sit down and figure out what is going to work best for you. What are you going to school for? What does the school you are going to use? I went to school for computer networking technologies, so I chose a PC because my school was using all PC's and I didnt want to have to worry about going from one to the other. On the other hand, when the Interactive Graphic Arts program started, we put in MAC's because they seemed to handle the work load better. You will get people who are going to say go this way or go that way but truely you just need to figure out what you are going to need to accomplish your goal of graduation.
PC versus Mac
by c. - 8/12/08 5:00 PM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Weendee F.
You have found the right person to reply to your question.
My nephew who had owned a powerful Dell purchased a Mac (white model) before he headed out to school. He loves it! Marc didn't have a hard time with the transition (smart) but would recommend having a friend who is more advanced in the operations of the workings of a Mac. There is a transition curve.
The following year I purchased a Mac Book Pro figuring I would be using it for years to come.
I am wireless via DSL but I have to tell you that the aluminum skin interferes with the reception ( hangs up) which was confirmed by an Apple Genius Bar Representative. His does the same thing while his wife's Mac runs smoothly.
My recommendation is purchase what ever fits into your budget White or Black models not Pro however.
You probably will be purchasing a newer model after you graduate. In the mean time you can always add more memory when needed.
The back to school special is great, go to the nearest Apple store tell them that it is for education they will in turn ask you questions to varify you as a student. They will offer you a printer to go along with it for free or you can up grade for a reasonable fee which I recommend and they throw in an ipod too.
Buy the three year warranty for an additional cost ask for an explanation it covers every thing it is the real deal plus it too is discounted. Your parents can take advantage of the education program too.
They offer training programs at a reasonable fee so you or your parents can learn how to use the Mac productively. I am self taught I too need the program but live 40 miles away (gas).
You can always stop by the Genius Bar when you need help. Apple is a slick operation!
With the new Leopard program you can use the Microsoft's operating system via Boot Camp. If you choose to do so buy additional virus protection because you will become vulnerable to the crap that attacks Microsoft. After switching to Mac I haven't had any problems with viruses which was an on going effort to maintain my lines of defense against being attacked. That in it self is a reason to purchase a Mac.
I was pretty knowledgeable. That being said I still feel that nothing is 100% protected, so buy additional protection if you can afford it. Facebook and games are the biggest offenders.
Ask for the matte screen verses the glossy, it is my oppinon that the reflections over time will drive one crazy! The truth of the matter via a published article is the matte finish is more expensive to manufacture. This is why you are seeing glossy screens on all makes.
Think about buying the security cable which will attauch to your computer. You can look up other security methods on the net.
Apple sells LoJack for computers, so your computer can be tracked by the police if stolen.
If I have omitted any thing the people at Apple are very knowledgeable!
MY FINAL RECOMMENDATION IS PURCHASE THE MAC YOU WILL ENJOY IT!
Good Luck,
Charlie
WOW
by RyanatETF - 8/13/08 5:54 AM In reply to: PC versus Mac by c.Charlie-
I cant believe that you would suggest to someone blindly to purchase one over the other based on the information given in the question.
MacBook or PC
by rekabjw - 8/12/08 5:25 PM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Wendy,
This answer is about as low tech as you can get.
Many colleges have a campus computer store where you can buy, at a significant discount, either type of operating system, other computer programs, as well as different computer manufacturer models. They usually have demo units so you can try them out before buying.
They usually have a recommendation list for what you need depending what courses you plan on taking.
Best Regards,
Jim
Check your program first
by nooner1959 - 8/13/08 6:51 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think the good first step would be to talk to your program adviser to find out what is the prevalent system in use. That said, you can always go with a MacBook (MacBook Pro, not the Air or the plain-jane one) and just run Windows. I would max out on drive storage and buy as much memory as I could afford.
I don't run Windows on my Mac, but I did buy Office for the Mac, and it's been fine running all the MicroSoft productivity software. Another choice, at no cost, is OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org), a free, full-featured suite of productivity software, that runs great on the Mac, has most of the bells & whistles, and did I mention, it's free? It will save in all Office formats (.doc, .xls, .ppt), but you have to tell it to save it that way. I tend to use OO more, but I've noticed that Windows versions of the new Office software now save in a new, web-ready format (e.g. .docx) which, to date, OO can't open, nor can older versions of Office.
Best regards for your studies and work, have a great time at college.
More from nooner
by nooner1959 - 8/13/08 6:58 AM In reply to: Check your program first by nooner1959Forgot to address the ease of use issue. It's practically nonexistent. I switched over three years ago and have no problems. One thing that took a little getting used to was the keyboard shortcuts, but, really, that's a small thing. A lot of times, instead of CTRL + C to copy, it's that funny looking key on either side of the space bar, e.g. FLK + C to copy instead. Not much of a learning curve. File storage is similar, program files have different extensions, but it's no big deal. It works, just like a PC, really.
I've worked with both and find myself leaning towards PC's
by sojournerwolf - 8/13/08 7:58 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi, Wendee
For me, a computer is a tool rather than a hobby or avocation in and of itself. I use mine to accomplish tasks online and offline including a small home business (copywriting, creative writing and photography), shopping, research (surfing), communication, entertainment, etc.
1) I find PC's easier to understand with far more resources to call upon via the vast variety of helpful websites and not just limited to those of the manufacturer. If I run into a problem or I want to figure out how to do something, a simple websearch generally produces a whole raft of results which means if I do not understand one explanation, I can usually find another I can understand.
2) Following on this, I find Mac's often too "proprietary". For example, if you utilize iTunes for music and purchase music through the iTunes store, you can play the music on your computer via the iTunes program and on an iPod, but not any other sort of MP3 player like Zune. On the other hand, music I purchase via Zune or other venues, I can play via Windows Media Player (which I cannot with iTunes) AND via iTunes so I can load to both my Zune player and my iPod.
3) More programs and varities of programs are available for PC's than Mac's. For example, there are more photo-editing/paintshop type programs for PC's than Mac's. Many of these have up to 30 day free trials, so you can try them out until you find one you are comfortable with. Another example, if you are interested in such, is games and (as mentioned previously) music. I have found some Internet sites that either look very strange to the point of bizarrely unreadable using a Mac as opposed to a PC, though I have to say of the various browsers, Internet Explorer returns the highest number and best quality of sites whereas Firefox even has the occasional hinky pull up of a site.
4) Maintenance and repair. I have found it far easier to find programs, and more of them, that help me improve productivity, speed, etc. on my PC than on a Mac. Likewise, if in need of repair, there are far more options (allowing me to "shop around" for best price, too) for repair of PC's than for Mac's
5) I have found a greater variety of peripherals (optical mice and keyboards, printers, etc.) that are available for PC's rather than Mac's.
6) Price: You are more likely to find a laptop PC with the software and hardware bells and whistles you need/want at a better price than any Mac simply because there are far more PC laptop builders than Mac sources. This includes a greater variety in customizastion at brick & glass stores like Office Depot and online like Dell (P.S. Dell, Gateway and others also often have "outlets" or "warehouses" with even better discounts)
I will be honest and admit that I started out on a PC which my slant my opinion. I have found Mac's occasionally a bit more difficult to operate, but it may be that if I had started out on a Mac, this might not be the case.
Certainly there are others, many far more computer savvy than me, who have a different view, but please do not let any of the rabid pro-PC/anti-Mac or pro-Mac/anti-PC opinions you may encounter cause consternation. Like the old adage about politics and religion, 'tain't fit for genteel conversation. *LOL*
Wish you the best, whatever your choice.
It Depends...
by JandNLarson - 8/13/08 10:26 PM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Wendee, my family offered me a computer over 20 years ago when I went to college, but I decided to wait until I knew what the industry I went into would require. I would suggest this is the most important consideration for you, too: if you will enter the graphic arts industry, which includes advertising and Web design, you probably want an Apple computer. If you will enter the traditional business world, most of that group use PCs. In any case, use such sources as Computer Shopper and Consumer Reports, as well as CNET, to find out what the best you can get for $1500 is, and go from there. Bear in mind that with only that amount of money, your choices are somewhat limited. Good luck!
Macbook is the best notebook for student and media use.
by markerichannelly - 8/14/08 3:40 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Many will agree that the Macbook is the best laptop for students due to its ease of use, great battery life, portable dimensions and weight, immunity to viruses and spyware and great build quality. And because you can run both Mac OS X and Windows(Virtualized and Native), there is no application you cannot run! I have one and I love it!!
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